Systems and methods for preparing GaN and related materials for micro assembly

ABSTRACT

The disclosed technology relates generally to a method and system for micro assembling GaN materials and devices to form displays and lighting components that use arrays of small LEDs and high-power, high-voltage, and or high frequency transistors and diodes. GaN materials and devices can be formed from epitaxy on sapphire, silicon carbide, gallium nitride, aluminum nitride, or silicon substrates. The disclosed technology provides systems and methods for preparing GaN materials and devices at least partially formed on several of those native substrates for micro assembly.

RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. ProvisionalPatent Application No. 62/014,070, filed Jun. 18, 2014, titled “Systemsand Methods for Preparing GaN and Related Materials for Micro Assembly,”the contents of which are incorporated by reference herein in itsentirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to structures and methods for providingmicro-scale devices that can be printed using massively parallelmicro-transfer printing methods.

BACKGROUND

The disclosed technology relates generally to the formation oftransferable micro devices. Semiconductor chip or die-automated assemblyequipment typically use vacuum-operated placement heads, such as vacuumgrippers or pick-and-place tools, to pick up and apply devices to asubstrate. It is often difficult to pick up and place ultra-thin and/orsmall devices using this technology. Micro transfer printing permits theselection and application of these ultra-thin, fragile, and/or smalldevices without cause damage to the devices themselves.

Micro-structured stamps can be used to pick up micro devices, transportthe micro devices to the destination, and print the micro devices onto adestination substrate. Surface adhesion forces are used to control theselection and printing of these devices onto the destination substrate.This process can be performed massively in parallel. The stamps can bedesigned to transfer hundreds to thousands of discrete structures in asingle pick-up and print operation.

Micro transfer printing also enables parallel assembly ofhigh-performance semiconductor devices onto virtually any substratematerial, including glass, plastics, metals or other semiconductors. Thesubstrates can be flexible, thereby permitting the production offlexible electronic devices. Flexible substrates can be integrated in alarge number of configurations, including configurations not possiblewith brittle silicon-based electronic devices. Additionally, plasticsubstrates, for example, are mechanically rugged and can be used toprovide electronic devices that are less susceptible to damage and/orelectronic performance degradation caused by mechanical stress. Thus,these materials can be used to fabricate electronic devices bycontinuous, high-speed printing techniques capable of generatingelectronic devices over large substrate areas at low cost (e.g., roll toroll manufacturing).

Moreover, these micro transfer printing techniques can be used to printsemiconductor devices at temperatures compatible with assembly onplastic polymer substrates. In addition, semiconductor materials can beprinted onto large areas of substrates thereby enabling continuous,high-speed printing of complex integrated electrical circuits over largesubstrate areas. Moreover, fully flexible electronic devices with goodelectronic performance in flexed or deformed device orientations can beprovided to enable a wide range of flexible electronic devices.

Electronically active components can be printed over the non-nativesubstrates. For example, these printing techniques can be used to formimaging devices such as flat-panel liquid crystal, LED, or OLED displaydevices and/or in digital radiographic plates. In each instance, theelectronically active components must be transferred from a nativesubstrate to a destination substrate (e.g., a non-native substrate onwhich an array of the active components is distributed). The activecomponents are picked up from the native substrate and transferred tothe destination substrate using an elastomer stamp. The release of theactive components must be controlled and predictable.

In micro-transfer printing, the chiplets are typically formed on asilicon substrate and a sacrificial layer undercut by etching to formtethers using photolithographic processes. The silicon substratefacilitates the formation of tethers between the wafer and the chipletthat are broken to release the chiplet during the micro-transferprinting process. However, conventional methods of forming GaN devicesdo not result in formation of micro-scale devices that can be assembledusing micro-transfer printing techniques. Additionally, conventionalmethods of forming GaN devices do not enable printable GaN devices onsapphire. Although relatively inexpensive when compared to sapphire,silicon has an even larger lattice mismatch with the GaN crystalstructures making up the LEDs than sapphire, further reducing theperformance of the resulting LEDs. Thus, in some embodiments, it isdesirable to form printable structures, such as LEDs, using a sapphiresubstrate. However, there is no available method for undercutting achiplet formed on a sapphire substrate to enable chiplet release formicro-transfer printing.

There is a need, therefore, for structures and methods that enable theconstruction of micro-LED chiplets formed on a substrate (e.g., siliconor sapphire) that can be micro-transfer printed. There is also a needfor simple and inexpensive methods and structures enabling electricalinterconnections for chiplets printed on destination substrates.Furthermore, there is a need for methods and structures that allowelectrically connecting the electrical contacts of printed structures,such as printed LEDs, using fewer processing steps than conventionalmethods.

Thus, there is a need for predictable and controllable systems andmethods for preparing high-performance, small, and dense arrays ofstructures in GaN and related materials that are suitable formicro-transfer printing.

SUMMARY

In one aspect, the invention is directed to a method of preparingreleased or releasable structures from a silicon native substrate, themethod comprising: depositing one or more members selected from thegroup consisting of GaN, AlGaN, InGaN, InGaAlN, and SiN on a substratecomprising Si (1 1 1), thereby forming an epitaxial material; formingdevices using the epitaxial material on the substrate; delineatingreleasable structures comprising the devices in the epitaxial material,thereby partially exposing the substrate; forming anchoring structuresand tethering structures such that the releasable structures connect thedevices to the substrate by the anchoring structures and tetheringstructures following contact of the substrate with the etchant; removingsilicon material underneath the releasable structures with an etchant,thereby forming printable structures comprising the devices, wherein aspatial orientation of the printable structures is maintained by thetether structures and anchor structures; and exposing the substrate andthe printable structures connected to the substrate by anchoringstructures and/or tethering structures to one or more chemical agentsfor conditioning the newly exposed surface of the released structures.

In certain embodiments, exposing the substrate and the printablestructures to one or more chemical agents comprises exposure to heatedphosphoric acid. In certain embodiments, exposing the substrate and theprintable structures to one or more chemical agents imparts surfaceroughness to the newly exposed surface.

In certain embodiments, the etchant is heated tetramethyl ammoniumhydroxide, potassium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide or a basic solution forperforming anisotropic silicon etch.

In certain embodiments, forming devices comprises depositing and/orpatterning a dielectric and/or conductive thin film.

In certain embodiments, the anchoring structures and tetheringstructures are formed in the epitaxial material.

In certain embodiments, the anchoring and tethering structures areformed from non-epitaxial material.

In certain embodiments, the non-epitaxial material comprises one or moreepitaxial materials selected from the group consisting of siliconnitride, silicon oxide.

In certain embodiments, the method further comprises forming one or moreencapsulating structures to encapsulate at least a portion of theprintable structure.

In certain embodiments, the method further comprises: prior to removingsilicon material underneath the structures, forming recesses in theexposed silicon.

In certain embodiments, forming recesses in the exposed siliconcomprises etching the exposed silicon.

In certain embodiments, the method further comprises: micro transferprinting one or more printable substructures of the printablestructures.

In certain embodiments, said micro transfer printing comprises:contacting one or more printable structures of the printable structureswith a conformable transfer device having a contact surface, whereincontact between the contact surface and the one or more printablestructures adheres the one or more printable structures to the contactsurface; contacting the one or more printable structures disposed on thecontact surface with the receiving surface of a destination substrate;and separating the contact surface of the conformable transfer deviceand the one or more printable structures, wherein the one or moreprintable structures are transferred onto the receiving surface, therebyassembling the one or more printable structures on the receiving surfaceof the destination substrate.

In certain embodiments, the conformable transfer device is an elastomerstamp.

In another aspect, the invention is directed to a method of preparingprintable materials for micro assembly from a native device substrateusing an intermediate substrate having a controlled tackiness, themethod comprising: depositing one or more materials on the native devicesubstrate, thereby forming an epitaxial material; forming devices withthe epitaxial material on the substrate; delineating releasablestructures comprising the devices in the epitaxial material, therebypartially exposing the device substrate; forming anchoring structuresand tethering structures such that the releasable structures areconnected to the substrate by the anchoring structures and tetheringstructures following contact of the substrate with the etchant;temporarily bonding the epitaxial material to the intermediate substrateand performing a laser-lift off process, thereby separating theepitaxial material from the device substrate and thereby inverting theepitaxial material for micro assembly, wherein: the controlled tackinessof the intermediate substrate is configured so that a transfer elementcan remove the materials from the intermediate substrate for microassembly, and the native substrate is transparent to laser illuminationthat is absorbed strongly by an absorbing layer on the native substrateso that upon exposure to the laser illumination the absorbing layer atleast partially decomposes or otherwise forms an interface that caninitiate separation between the native substrate and the devices formicro assembly; at least partially completing the formation ordelineation of devices on the intermediate substrate; forming anchoring,tethering, or encapsulation structures insoluble to an etchant forreleasing the epitaxial material from the intermediate substrate;releasing the devices from the intermediate substrate by removal of atleast a portion of the selectively removable layer positioned between atleast a portion of the intermediate substrate and at least a portion ofthe devices, thereby forming printable micro assemble-able devices fromthe native substrate via the intermediate substrate; and transferringthe released materials for micro assembly on the intermediate substrateto a second intermediate stamp, thereby presenting the epitaxialmaterial for micro assembly in a different un-inverted configuration,the second intermediate stamp also having controlled tackiness such thatthe second intermediate stamp can remove the materials for microassembly from the intermediate stamp and a transfer element can removethe epitaxial material for micro assembly from the second intermediatestamp.

In certain embodiments, the device substrate comprises a member selectedfrom the group consisting of sapphire, gallium arsenide, indiumphosphide, and silicon on insulator.

In certain embodiments, the one or more materials deposited on thedevice substrate comprise at least one member selected from the groupconsisting of GaN, AlGaN, and SiN.

In certain embodiments, the intermediate substrate comprises a stamp. Incertain embodiments, the intermediate substrate comprises a conformableelastomer having controlled tackiness.

In certain embodiments, the anchoring structures and tetheringstructures are formed in the epitaxial material. In certain embodiments,the anchoring and tethering structures are formed from non-epitaxialmaterial.

In certain embodiments, the non-epitaxial material comprises one or moreepitaxial materials selected from the group consisting of siliconnitride, silicon oxide.

In certain embodiments, the transfer element comprises an elastomerstamp.

In certain embodiments, the method further comprises performing thermaltreatment to temporarily bond the epitaxial material (and/or devicesthereon/therein) to the intermediate substrate to form the bonded pairof substrates.

In certain embodiments, the tackiness of the intermediate substrate iscontrolled by crosslink density, surface chemistry, surface texture,surface composition, elastomer layer thickness, and/or surfacetopography. In certain embodiments, the tackiness of the intermediatesubstrate is controlled by pressure or temperature. In certainembodiments, the tackiness of the intermediate substrate is formed bytemporary collapse of topographical features or viscoelasticrate-dependent adhesion effects, thereby forming a transient tackiness.

In certain embodiments, the epitaxial material for micro assemblycomprises one or more members selected from the group consisting of GaN,AlGaN, InGaN, InGaAlN, and SiN.

In certain embodiments, the native substrate comprises sapphire and theepitaxial material for micro assembly comprises at least one of GaN,AlGaN, InGaN, AlInGaN, SiN, and non-epitaxial material. In certainembodiments, the native substrate comprises gallium arsenide and theepitaxial material for micro assembly comprises at least one of GaAs,InGaAlP, InGaP, InAlP, AlGaAs, (In)GaNAs(Sb), InGaAsP, (Si)Ge, SiGeSn,and non-epitaxial material. In certain embodiments, the native substratecomprises indium phosphide and the epitaxial material for micro assemblycomprises at least one of InGaAs, InAlGaAs, InAlAs, InGaAsP, InP,InGaAlAsP, GeSn, SiGeSn, and non-epitaxial material. In certainembodiments, the native substrate comprises silicon on an insulator andthe epitaxial material for micro assembly comprises at least one ofInGaAs, InAlGaAs, InAlAs, InGaAsP, InP, InGaAlAsP, GeSn, SiGeSn, andnon-epitaxial materials.

In certain embodiments, the devices made with the epitaxial material onthe substrate comprise one or more members selected from the groupconsisting of integrated circuits, LEDs, HEMTs, HBTs, lasers, VCSELs,diodes, photodiodes, solar cells, diodes, zener diodes, IGBTs, schottkydiodes, capacitors, and color converters.

In another aspect, the invention is directed to a method of preparingreleased materials for micro assembly from a native sapphire substratevia an intermediate substrate, the method comprising: preparingmaterials for micro assembly by epitaxial growth on the native sapphiresubstrate to form an epitaxial material; adhering the materials formicro assembly to an intermediate substrate to form a bonded pair ofsubstrates; performing a laser-lift off process, thereby separating thematerials for micro assembly from the native sapphire substrate andseparating the bonded pair of substrates, wherein: the materials formicro assembly are thereby inverted, and the sapphire substrate istransparent to laser illumination that is absorbed strongly by anabsorbing layer on the sapphire substrate such that upon exposure to thelaser illumination the absorbing layer at least partially decomposes orotherwise forms an interface that can initiate separation between thesapphire substrate and the materials for micro assembly; forminganchoring, tethering, and/or encapsulation structures insoluble to anetchant for releasing the materials for micro assembly from theintermediate substrate; and releasing the materials for micro assemblyfrom the intermediate substrate by the removal of at least a portion ofa selectively removable layer positioned between at least a portion ofthe intermediate substrate and at least a portion of the materials formicro assembly, thereby removing the silicon underneath the releasablestructures and forming released, micro assemble-able GaN materials ordevices from sapphire native substrates via the intermediate substrate.

In certain embodiments, the method further comprises: transferring thereleased materials for micro assembly on the intermediate substrate toan intermediate stamp, thereby presenting the materials for microassembly in a different, un-inverted configuration for micro assembly.

In certain embodiments, the method further comprises: prior to forminganchoring, tethering, and/or encapsulation structures, at leastpartially completing the formation and/or delineation of devices on theintermediate substrate.

In certain embodiments, the method further comprises: after preparingmaterials for micro assembly by epitaxial growth, at least partiallyforming a device in materials for micro assembly. In certainembodiments, the method further comprises: after preparing materials formicro assembly by epitaxial growth, delineating releasable structures inepitaxial materials, partially exposing the sapphire substrate. Incertain embodiments, the method further comprises: after preparingmaterials for micro assembly by epitaxial growth, forming anchoringstructures and/or tethering structures in the epitaxial materials.

In certain embodiments, the method further comprises: after preparingmaterials for micro assembly by epitaxial growth, forming anchoringand/or tethering structures from non-epitaxial materials (e.g., siliconnitride or silicon oxide) designed to survive the release process.

In certain embodiments, the method further comprises: after adhering thematerials for micro assembly to the intermediate substrate, performingthermal treatment to temporarily bond the materials for micro assemblyto the intermediate substrate, thereby forming a bonded pair ofsubstrates.

In certain embodiments, the intermediate substrate is glass, ceramic,silicon, germanium, sapphire, or silicon carbide. In certainembodiments, the intermediate substrate is at least one of photoactive,etchable, and dissolvable.

In certain embodiments, the materials for micro assembly comprise GaNand the native substrate is a sapphire substrate.

In certain embodiments, the materials for micro assembly comprises oneor more members selected from the group consisting of GaN, AlGaN, InGaN,InGaAlN, AlInGaN, SiN, and non-epitaxial materials.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

The foregoing and other objects, aspects, features, and advantages ofthe present disclosure will become more apparent and better understoodby referring to the following description taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a flowchart of an example method for preparing released GaNfrom silicon substrates;

FIG. 2 is a flowchart of an example method for preparing released GaNfrom sapphire substrates via an intermediate stamp;

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a method for preparing released GaN fromsapphire substrates via an intermediate substrate;

FIG. 4 is a table listing examples of materials and devices for microassembly, their native substrates, and absorbing layers that can be usedin various embodiments of the present invention;

FIGS. 5A-5K illustrate a sequence of steps for forming printable objectsfrom bulk wafers; and

FIG. 6 illustrates a step for forming printable objects from bulkwafers.

The features and advantages of the present disclosure will become moreapparent from the detailed description set forth below when taken inconjunction with the drawings, in which like reference charactersidentify corresponding elements throughout. In the drawings, likereference numbers generally indicate identical, functionally similar,and/or structurally similar elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 is a flowchart of an example method 100 for preparing releasableGaN devices from a silicon substrate. In some embodiments, the GaN andrelated (e.g. AlGaN, InGaN, InGaAlN, SiN) materials are prepared byepitaxial growth on Si (1 1 1) substrate (102). The device can be atleast partially formed in GaN materials (104), for example, byadditional patterning of dielectric or conductive thin film materials(104). The releasable structures are delineated in the epitaxialmaterials, partially exposing the Si (1 1 1) substrate (106). Releasablestructures are formed in a source or native wafer substrate and can bereleased or removed from the wafer by physically contacting thestructures with a patterned stamp, for example an elastomer stamp,adhering the structures to the stamp, and removing the stamp and thestructures from the wafer. This process is facilitated by partiallyseparating the releasable structures from the wafer by etching away asacrificial layer from beneath the structures. In some embodiments, thereleasable structures are releasable devices themselves. In otherembodiments, the releasable structures include the devices as well asother materials, for example, portions of the tether that remainattached to the device after fracturing during a print operation.

In some embodiments, anchoring structures or tethering structures can beformed in the epitaxial materials (108). Such anchoring or tetheringstructures can have dimensions in the microns and are typically smallerthan the releasable devices. Additionally, if desired, anchoring and/ortethering structures can be formed from non-epitaxial materials, such assilicon nitride or silicon oxide, and designed to survive the releaseetch process. These structures can maintain the spatial configuration ofthe object through the release process. Structures that maintain thespatial configuration, often referred to as anchors, tethers, or otherstabilization structures, can include photoresist materials, epoxies,polyimides, dielectrics, metals, and/or semiconductors. Such structuresmaintain contact to the native substrate or other fixed body throughoutthe release process. In certain embodiments, photodefinable materialsare advantageous for this kind of anchoring/tethering structure,offering ease of formation and, in many cases, ease of removal bydissolution in wet chemicals, organic solvents or aqueous mixtures, orby ashing in oxygen or fluorine compounds.

In some embodiments, structures are formed to encapsulate at least aportion of the releasable structure (110) which includes the devices atleast partially formed in step 104. In some embodiments, theencapsulation is formed to cover the releasable structure. Theencapsulation material encapsulates the active components of thereleasable device from the chemistries used in the release process.

In some embodiments, recesses (e.g., trenches) can be formed in exposedsilicon, for example, by etching or ablation (112) to enable releasablestructures, anchors, and/or tethers to be formed. The native substrateand releasable devices included thereon are exposed to an anisotropicsilicon etch, for example, heated tetramethyl ammonium hydroxide orpotassium hydroxide, or sodium hydroxide or other basic solutions,thereby performing a release etch and removing the silicon underneaththe releasable structures (114) (see e.g., FIG. 6). In some embodiments,the substrate and the released structures connected thereto are exposedto chemical agents for conditioning or processing the newly exposedsurface of the releasable structures (116). This can be done to impartsurface roughness by, for example, exposure to heated phosphoric acid.This can also improve print yield when the releasable devices arereleased and transferred to the destination substrate. Thus, the method100 can be used to form released, micro assemble-able GaN materials ordevices from silicon native substrates.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart of an example method 200 for preparing printableGaN from a sapphire substrate via an intermediate stamp. In someembodiments, GaN and related (e.g., AlGaN, InGaN, InGaAlN, SiN)materials are prepared by epitaxial growth on a sapphire substrate(202).

In some embodiments, a device can be at least partially formed in GaNmaterials, for example, by the addition and patterning of dielectric orconductive thin-film materials (204). Dielectric materials can includeoxides or nitrides, such as silicon oxide or silicon nitride. Conductivethin-film materials can include patterned metal, for example depositedby evaporation or sputtering, or doped semiconductor material such asdoped silicon. The printable structures can be delineated in epitaxialmaterials (206). This can be accomplished by partially exposing thesapphire substrate. Additionally, anchoring structures or tetheringstructures can be formed (208). The anchoring or tethering structurescan be formed in the epitaxial materials or using non-epitaxialmaterials, such as silicon nitride or silicon oxide. The materials thatform the tethers or anchors are chosen to survive the release etchprocess such that the anchors/tethers remain attached to the substrate,thereby preserving the spatial orientation of the structures

The GaN materials are placed against a second substrate (210). Thesecond substrate can be elastomer, polydimethylsiloxane, glass, metal,polymer, or plastic. An adhesive layer can be used to adhere the secondsubstrate to the devices.

In some embodiments, a thermal treatment to temporarily bond the GaNmaterials or devices to the second substrate can be performed (212).This forms a bonded pair of substrates, having one substrate as thenative sapphire substrate and the second acting as a handover substratethat includes a conformable elastomer and having controlled tackiness.The tackiness can be controlled by crosslink density, surface chemistry,surface texture, surface composition, elastomer layer thickness, and/orsurface topography. The tackiness can also be controlled by pressure ortemperature. Furthermore, the tackiness can be transient by temporarycollapse of topographical features or viscoelastic rate-dependentadhesion effects.

In some embodiments, a laser-lift off process is performed (214),thereby separating the GaN materials or devices from their nativesapphire substrate and separating the bonded pair of substrates. Afterthe laser-lift off process, the GaN devices can be inverted and adheredto the second substrate that has a controlled tackiness. The controlledtackiness is selected such that a transfer element (e.g., one thatincludes an elastomer, e.g., PDMS) can remove the GaN from the secondsubstrate for micro assembly. Moreover, the released GaN on theintermediate stamp can be transferred to a second intermediate stamp,thereby presenting the GaN in a different, un-inverted, configuration.The second intermediate stamp can also have a controlled tackiness,optionally temperature, pressure and/or rate-controlled tackiness, suchthat the second intermediate stamp can remove the GaN from theintermediate stamp and a transfer element can remove the GaN from thesecond intermediate stamp.

In some embodiments, the method 200 can include at least partiallycompleting the formation or delineation of device on the secondsubstrate (216). This can be accomplished, for example, by addition ofmetal(s) (e.g., Au, Cu, Ag, Al, Pd, Pt, Ni, Co, Pb, Ti, Fe, Cr, V, W,etc.) or dielectric film(s) (e.g., SiO₂, Si3N5, Al₂O₃, ZrO2, TiO2,Ta2O5, Barium-strontium-titanate (BST/BSTO), Strontium-titanate-oxide(STO), Lead-zirconium-titanate (PZT), etc.), and/or etching a portion ofthe GaN materials. Thus, the method 200 can be used to form released,micro assemble-able inverted GaN materials or devices from sapphirenative substrates via an intermediate stamp.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a method 300 for preparing released GaN fromsapphire native substrates via an intermediate substrate. In someembodiments, the method 300 includes preparing GaN and related (e.g.,AlGaN, InGaN, InGaAlN, SiN) materials by epitaxial growth on sapphiresubstrate (302). In some embodiments, the device can be at leastpartially formed in GaN materials (304), for example, by the additionand patterning of dielectric (e.g., SiO₂, Si3N5, Al₂O₃, ZrO2, TiO2,Ta2O5, Barium-strontium-titanate (BST/BSTO), Strontium-titanate-oxide(STO), Lead-zirconium-titanate (PZT), etc.) or conductive (e.g.,including Au, Cu, Ag, Al, Pd, Pt, Ni, Co, Pb, Ti, Fe, Cr, V, W, etc.)thin-film materials. Additionally, releasable structures can bedelineated in epitaxial materials (306). This can be accomplished bypartially exposing the sapphire substrate. In some embodiments,anchoring structures and/or tethering structures can be formed (308).The anchoring structures and/or tethering structures can be formed inthe epitaxial materials or from non-epitaxial materials, such as siliconnitride or silicon oxide, designed to survive the release etch process.

The GaN materials are placed against a second substrate (310) therebyforming a bonded pair of substrates having one substrate as the nativesapphire substrate and the second as a substrate comprising aconformable elastomer and having controlled tackiness. In someembodiments, thermal treatment to temporarily bond the GaN materials ordevices to the second substrate can be performed (312), thereby forminga bonded pair of substrates, having one substrate as the native sapphiresubstrate. The second substrate can be (i) a glass, ceramic, silicon,germanium, sapphire, silicon carbide, or other compound semiconductorsubstrate that includes a polymer that can flow or conform under heatand/or pressure and is optionally photoactive, etchable or dissolvable,(ii) a glass, ceramic, silicon, germanium, sapphire, silicon carbide, orother compound semiconductor substrate that includes a metal that canflow or conform under heat and/or pressure and is optionally etchable ordissolvable, or (iii) a glass, ceramic, silicon, germanium, sapphire,silicon carbide, or other compound semiconductor substrate that includesa material that can flow or conform under heat and/or pressure andanother underlying layer of material that is removable, etchable, ordissolvable, such as Si (1 1 1), photoresist, lift-off resist, or metal.

A laser-lift off process is performed (314) to separate the GaNmaterials or devices from their native sapphire substrate and separatingthe bonded pair of substrates. The GaN materials or devices are invertedand can be adhered to the second substrate. In some embodiments, theformation and/or delineation of devices on the second substrate is atleast partially completed (316). This can be accomplished by theaddition and patterning of metal or dielectric films, or etching aportion of the GaN materials. Anchoring, tethering, or encapsulationstructures designed to survive a process of releasing the GaN materialsfrom the second substrate can be formed (318). The GaN materials ordevices can be released from the second substrate (320) by the removalof at least a portion of a selectively removable layer positionedbetween at least a portion of the second substrate and at least aportion of the GaN materials or devices. In some embodiments, thereleased micro assemble-able GaN on an intermediate substrate can betransferred to an intermediate stamp, thereby presenting the GaN in adifferent, un-inverted, configuration for micro assembly. Thus, method300 can be used to form released, micro assemble-able GaN materials ordevices from sapphire native substrates via an intermediate substrate.

FIG. 4 is a table listing examples of materials and devices for microassembly, their native substrates, and absorbing layers that can beused. Laser lift-off facilitates the preparation of semiconductormaterials and devices for micro assembly. Semiconductor materials anddevices are at least partially formed on their native substrate andtransferred to an intermediate substrate or stamp according to theprocedures outlined in previous sections of the present specificationthat describe the preparation of GaN materials and devices from asapphire native substrate. Key elements of the laser lift-off include anative substrate that is transparent to laser illumination that isabsorbed strongly by a layer on the native substrate such that uponexposure the absorbing layer can at least partially decompose orotherwise form an interface that can initiate separation between thenative substrate and the semiconductor materials and devices for microassembly. FIG. 4 lists relevant materials and devices for microassembly, their native substrates, and the absorbing layer.

To create micro LEDs, such as blue micro LEDs, GaN (gallium nitride)semiconductor material can be grown on a sapphire substrate. Sapphire isoften the growth substrate of choice for epitaxial GaN layers. However,sapphire limits the construction and performance of the final LEDdevice. For example, the GaN/sapphire composite cannot be as easilydiced as silicon. Further, sapphire, in comparison to metals, has poorelectrical and thermal conductivity.

In some implementations a laser-reactive exfoliation layer is depositedon rigid substrates and the micro LEDs are formed on the exfoliationlayer. To remove or lift-off the semiconductor from the sapphire, a highintensity laser beam is directed through the sapphire and aimed at theGaN. This creates a shockwave at the interface that disassociates theGaN from the sapphire so that the GaN is exfoliated from the sapphiresubstrate. The principle behind laser lift off is the differentabsorption of UV light by GaN and sapphire. GaN strongly absorbs thelaser radiation, while sapphire is a poor UV absorber due to its highbandgap energy. Laser lift off can be performed quickly and only theinterface layer of GaN (or the exfoliation layer) reaches hightemperature.

The GaN wafer (and accompanying micro LEDs formed on the GaN wafer) isthen transferred and bonded to an intermediate substrate. For example,Si (111) can be used as the intermediate substrate. Printable micro LEDsare then formed on the intermediate substrate. The Si (111) or asacrificial layer formed thereon prior to transferring the GaN wafer tothe Si (111) wafer can be etched such that the position of eachprintable micro LED is maintained by one or more tethers that facturewhen each printable micro LED is picked up by a micro transfer device.

FIGS. 5A-5K illustrate a sequence of steps for forming printable objectsfrom bulk wafers, such as those suitable for assembly using a rubberstamp (e.g., micro-transfer printing). As shown in FIG. 5A, a substrate500 is provided. Thereafter, a device 502 is formed on the substrate 500using photolithographic methods and as shown in FIG. 5B. The device 502is typically one of many devices formed on the substrate. The devicescan be microelectronic, optoelectronic, or micromechanical devices. Insome embodiments, a trench 504 is formed around device 502 as shown inFIG. 5C, thereby forming a protrusion 505 on the substrate 500.

As shown in FIG. 5D, an anchor/tether structure 506 is formed. Theanchor/tether structure 506 contacts the device 502 and the substrate500. The material used for the anchor/tether structure 506 is selectedsuch that it insoluble in a release chemistry. In some embodiments, theanchor/tether structures is a patterned material. A layer of the desiredmaterial can be applied to the system and patterned (e.g., usingphotolithography). In some embodiments, there are more than oneanchor/tether structures 506 per device 502.

As shown in FIG. 5E, a second material is deposited and patterned toform a sacrificial layer 508. Unlike the anchor/tether structure 506,the sacrificial layer 508 is soluble in a release chemistry. Thus, whenetched, for example, with the appropriate solvent the sacrificial layer508 will be removed and the anchor/tether structure 506 will remain. Thesacrificial layer 508, in some embodiments, covers the top surface ofthe device 502 but exposes the top surface of at least a portion of theanchoring structure 506.

As shown in FIG. 5F, the top surface of the first substrate 500 isbonded to a second substrate 510 using a bonding material 509 (e.g.resin, polyimide, epoxy, eutectic metal, soft metal) that is insolublein the release chemistry.

The first substrate 500 is removed as shown in FIG. 5G (e.g. by laserlift off or back grinding) to expose the bottom surface of the device502, a portion of the anchoring/tethering structure 506, a portion ofthe sacrificial layer 508, and a portion of the bonding material 509.The sacrificial layer 508 is etched using the release chemistry, therebyforming a releasable and printable object connected to the secondsubstrate 510 through the bonding material 514 by theanchoring/tethering structure as shown in FIG. 5H. Printing occurs bycontacting the bottom side of the device 502 with a transfer element 512(FIG. 5I), and separating the transfer element 512 from the secondsubstrate 510, thereby fracturing the tethers and separating the devicefrom the second substrate 510, as shown in FIG. 5J.

This approach is particularly well suited for forming printable devicesfrom GaN grown epitaxially on sapphire whereby the first substrate isremoved by laser lift off, or for forming printable devices from bulksilicon wafers, wherein the first substrate is removed by back grinding.

As shown in FIG. 5K, the device, in some embodiments, includes one ormore protrusions 516 on its top surface. These protrusions 516 can beelectrically conductive protrusions. The protrusions 516 can contact acontact pad 518 on the destination substrate 514 thereby improvingconnectivity after transferring the device 502 to the destinationsubstrate 514.

Having described certain implementations of methods and apparatus, itwill now become apparent to one of skill in the art that otherimplementations incorporating the concepts of the disclosure can beused. Therefore, the disclosure should not be limited to certainimplementations, but rather should be limited only by the spirit andscope of the following claims.

Throughout the description, where apparatus and systems are described ashaving, including, or comprising specific components, or where processesand methods are described as having, including, or comprising specificsteps, it is contemplated that, additionally, there are apparatus, andsystems of the disclosed technology that consist essentially of, orconsist of, the recited components, and that there are processes andmethods according to the disclosed technology that consist essentiallyof, or consist of, the recited processing steps.

It should be understood that the order of steps or order for performingcertain action is immaterial so long as the disclosed technology remainsoperable. Moreover, two or more steps or actions can be conductedsimultaneously.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of preparing released or releasablestructures from a silicon native device substrate, the methodcomprising: depositing at least one of GaN, AlGaN, InGaN, InGaAlN, andSiN on a native device substrate comprising Si (1 1 1), thereby formingan epitaxial material; forming devices using the epitaxial material onthe native device substrate; forming releasable structures comprisingthe devices by removing at least a portion of the epitaxial materialfrom around at least a portion of the devices in the epitaxial material,thereby partially exposing the native device substrate; forminganchoring structures and tethering structures that are at leastpartially in contact with a side of the releasable structure oppositethe native device substrate and at least partially in contact with thenative device substrate; removing silicon material underneath thereleasable structures with an etchant to form tethers connecting thereleasable structures to anchors, thereby forming printable structurescomprising the devices, wherein the position and orientation of theprintable structures is maintained by the tethers and anchors; andexposing the native device substrate and the printable structuresconnected to the native device substrate by anchoring structures andtethering structures to one or more chemical agents.
 2. The method ofclaim 1, wherein exposing the native device substrate and the printablestructures to one or more chemical agents comprises exposure to heatedphosphoric acid.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein exposing the nativedevice substrate and the printable structures to one or more chemicalagents imparts surface roughness to the newly exposed surface.
 4. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the etchant is heated tetramethyl ammoniumhydroxide, potassium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide or a basic solution forperforming anisotropic silicon etch.
 5. The method of claim 1, whereinforming devices comprises depositing and/or patterning a dielectricand/or conductive thin film.
 6. The method of claim 1, wherein theanchoring structures and tethering structures are formed in theepitaxial material.
 7. The method of claim 1, wherein the anchoring andtethering structures are formed from non-epitaxial material.
 8. Themethod of claim 1, comprising depositing one or more of silicon nitride,and silicon oxide on the native device substrate.
 9. The method of claim1, comprising forming one or more encapsulating structures toencapsulate at least a portion of the printable structure.
 10. Themethod of claim 1, comprising: prior to removing silicon materialunderneath the structures, forming recesses in the exposed silicon. 11.The method of claim 1, wherein forming recesses in the exposed siliconcomprises etching the exposed silicon.
 12. The method of claim 1,comprising: micro transfer printing one or more printable substructuresof the printable structures.
 13. The method of claim 1, wherein saidmicro transfer printing comprises: contacting one or more printablestructures of the printable structures with a conformable transferdevice having a contact surface, wherein contact between the contactsurface and the one or more printable structures adheres the one or moreprintable structures to the contact surface; contacting the one or moreprintable structures disposed on the contact surface with the receivingsurface of a destination substrate; and separating the contact surfaceof the conformable transfer device and the one or more printablestructures, wherein the one or more printable structures are transferredonto the receiving surface, thereby assembling the one or more printablestructures on the receiving surface of the destination substrate. 14.The method of claim 13, wherein the conformable transfer device is anelastomer stamp.
 15. A method of preparing printable materials for microassembly from a native device substrate using an intermediate substrate,the method comprising: depositing one or more materials on the nativedevice substrate, thereby forming an epitaxial material; forming deviceswith the epitaxial material on the native device substrate; formingreleasable structures comprising the devices by removing at least aportion of the epitaxial material from around at least a portion of thedevices in the epitaxial material, thereby partially exposing the nativedevice substrate; forming patterned tethering and anchoring structuresthat are in contact with a side of the device opposite the native devicesubstrate and in contact with only a portion of the exposed nativedevice substrate; forming patterned sacrificial structures completelyover the devices and the patterned tethering and anchoring structures ona side of the devices opposite the native device substrate, over only aportion or none of the patterned tethering and anchoring structures incontact with the exposed native device substrate, and only partially incontact with the exposed native device substrate, the patternedsacrificial structures differentially etchable from the native devicesubstrate and the patterned tethering and anchoring structure;temporarily bonding the epitaxial material to an intermediate substrateand separating the epitaxial material from the native device substrate,thereby inverting the epitaxial material for micro assembly; releasingthe devices from the intermediate substrate by removal of at least aportion of the sacrificial structures with an etchant to form tethersconnecting the devices to anchors; and transferring the releasedmaterials for micro assembly on the intermediate substrate to anintermediate stamp.
 16. The method of claim 15, wherein the devicesubstrate comprises a member selected from the group consisting ofsapphire, gallium arsenide, indium phosphide, and silicon on insulator.17. The method of claim 15, wherein the one or more materials depositedon the device substrate comprise at least one member selected from thegroup consisting of GaN, AlGaN, and SiN.
 18. The method of claim 15,comprising at least partially completing the formation or delineation ofdevices on the intermediate substrate.
 19. The method of claim 15,comprising grinding the native device substrate to separate theepitaxial material from the native device substrate or using lift-off toseparate the epitaxial material from the native device substrate orusing laser lift-off to separate the epitaxial material from the nativedevice substrate.
 20. The method of claim 19, wherein the nativesubstrate is transparent to laser illumination that is absorbed stronglyby an absorbing layer on the native substrate and comprising exposingthe absorbing layer to the laser illumination to at least partiallydecompose or otherwise form an interface that can initiate separationbetween the native substrate and the devices for micro assembly for thelaser-lift off process.
 21. A method of preparing released materials formicro assembly from a native sapphire substrate via an intermediatesubstrate, the method comprising: depositing one or more materials onthe native sapphire substrate to form an epitaxial material; formingdevices with the epitaxial material on the native sapphire substrate;forming a tether structure that is insoluble to an etchant for releasingthe materials for micro assembly from the intermediate substrate,wherein the tether structure is in contact with a side of the deviceopposite the native sapphire substrate and in contact with only aportion of the exposed native sapphire substrate; forming patternedsacrificial structures completely over the devices and the tetherstructure on a side of the devices opposite the native sapphiresubstrate, over only a portion or none of the tether structure incontact with the exposed native sapphire substrate, and only partiallyin contact with the exposed native sapphire substrate, the patternedsacrificial structures differentially etchable from the native sapphiresubstrate and the tether structure; adhering the materials for microassembly to an intermediate substrate to form a bonded pair ofsubstrates; performing a laser-lift off process, thereby separating thematerials for micro assembly from the native sapphire substrate andseparating the bonded pair of substrates, wherein: the materials formicro assembly are thereby inverted, and the sapphire substrate istransparent to laser illumination that is absorbed strongly by anabsorbing layer on the sapphire substrate such that upon exposure to thelaser illumination the absorbing layer at least partially decomposes orotherwise forms an interface that can initiate separation between thesapphire substrate and the materials for micro assembly; and releasingthe materials for micro assembly from the intermediate substrate byremoving at least a portion of a sacrificial layer, thereby removing theselectively removable layer underneath the releasable structures andforming released, micro assemble-able GaN materials or devices fromsapphire native substrates via the intermediate substrate.
 22. Themethod of claim 21, comprising: transferring the released materials formicro assembly on the intermediate substrate to an intermediate stamp,thereby presenting the materials for micro assembly in a different,un-inverted configuration for micro assembly.
 23. The method of claim21, wherein forming the at least one of anchoring, tethering, andencapsulation structures selectively removable layer is done prior toadhering the materials for micro assembly to the intermediate substrate.24. A method of preparing printable materials for micro assembly from anative device substrate using an intermediate substrate having acontrolled tackiness, the method comprising: depositing one or morematerials on the native device substrate, thereby forming an epitaxialmaterial; forming devices with the epitaxial material on the nativedevice substrate; forming releasable structures comprising the devicesby removing at least a portion of the epitaxial material from around atleast a portion of the devices in the epitaxial material, therebypartially exposing the native device substrate; temporarily bonding theepitaxial material to an intermediate substrate with a controlledtackiness; separating the epitaxial material from the native devicesubstrate and thereby inverting the epitaxial material for microassembly; and transferring the released materials for micro assembly onthe intermediate substrate to an intermediate stamp, the intermediatestamp also having controlled tackiness such that the intermediate stampcan remove the materials for micro assembly from the intermediatesubstrate.
 25. The method of claim 24, comprising at least partiallycompleting the formation or delineation of devices on the intermediatesubstrate.
 26. The method of claim 25, wherein the native substrate istransparent to laser illumination that is absorbed strongly by anabsorbing layer on the native substrate and comprising exposing theabsorbing layer to the laser illumination to at least partiallydecompose or otherwise form an interface that can initiate separationbetween the native substrate and the devices for micro assembly for thelaser-lift off process.